What tests should be performed to diagnose gout? 8 kinds of inspection items are indispensable
Now people's quality of life is improving year by year, and food culture is becoming more and more abundant, but various chronic diseases follow, such as high blood pressure, high blood fat, high blood sugar and gout. Gout is known as the disease of the rich and it shows a trend of younger people. It does not mean gout when you feel redness, swelling and pain, and further examinations are needed for diagnosis.
How is gout diagnosed?
- Detection of blood uric acid and urine uric acid
Hyperuricemia is the root cause of gout attacks, and blood uric acid detection is helpful for judging whether you have gout. After 5 days of purine-restricted diet, urine uric acid needs to be detected. If the excretion of uric acid exceeds 3.57 mmol per liter, it indicates that the production of uric acid has increased.
- Inflammation indicators
Inflammation indicators include C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, as well as blood routine. During an acute attack of gout, the platelets, white blood cells, and neutrophils will increase, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate will increase, and the C-reactive protein will increase. In this case, it is necessary to distinguish it from infection.
- Metabolic related indicators
Generally, primary gout patients are accompanied by metabolic syndrome, such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia, so it is necessary to check glycosylated hemoglobin, blood lipids, blood sugar, blood pressure, and islet function.
- Relevant differential diagnosis blood test
If the characteristics of arthritis in patients are not typical, it needs to be differentiated from other diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, infectious and basic arthritis, and rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody tests should be considered.
- Related organ damage indicators
If gout patients do not receive scientific and standardized treatment, blood uric acid will continue to rise, and crystals will easily form in the kidneys, causing gouty nephropathy or kidney stones, which will affect kidney function. Therefore, it is necessary to test urine routine and renal function, as well as glomerular filtration rate and microalbumin, to see if there is gouty nephropathy.
- Joint B-ultrasound examination
If tophi is formed, an inhomogeneous soft round mass with anechoic edge may appear in the B-ultrasound examination of the joint, surrounded by an anechoic halo. Typical deposits of salt crystals appear on x-rays of joints. There are hyperechoic spots in the joint cavity, which are mainly manifested as localized hyperechoic spots in the joint effusion, and hyperechoic suspended particles on the synovium.
- X-ray examination of joints
X-ray examination of joints during the acute attack of gout can show non-characteristic soft tissue swelling. X-ray examination of patients with chronic gouty arthritis can find bone erosion and destruction, the articular surface becomes irregular, and presents moth-eaten or arc-shaped bone translucent defects.
- Imaging examination of urinary system
Patients with chronic gouty arthritis need to pay attention to kidney damage. Patients with gouty nephropathy can find shrinkage of the kidneys and thinning of the cortex during ultrasonography. Uric acid kidney stones can be found on ultrasonography because stones can cause dilation of the renal pelvis and hydronephrosis.
Kind tips
Once it is diagnosed as gout, it is necessary to actively cooperate with the doctor for treatment and rationally use drugs to reduce uric acid levels. At the same time, we must also do a good job in life conditioning, stay away from high-purine foods such as animal offal, seafood, and thick broth. Usually take part in physical exercise to maintain a normal weight and avoid excessive obesity. Refuse to drink any beverages that contain alcohol, nor can you drink carbonated drinks and fruit juices. Drink plenty of water and urinate frequently to maintain a stable uric acid level. Pay attention to keep your body warm in winter, especially protect your joints to prevent cold, so as not to cause gout attacks.